Obituary: Guilford’s Jan Jamison was a ‘motivator’

Larry Brasfield remembers the days when pushing the 7-man blocking sled was his way of life on the football field at Guilford High School.

“We were a cohesive unit,” said Brasfield, a linebacker on the famed 1982 state-champion Vikings squad. “The whole team did it: the offense, the defense, the special teams. We all picked up that sled and carried it about five or 10 yards and coach was right on it.”

That coach was Jan J. Jamison, who guided those Vikings to the Class 5A title. He spent 37 years coaching at Guilford, where he served as a physical education teacher and head wrestling coach as well. He also became the school’s athletic director for 12 years.

Jamison died Monday of congestive heart failure at his home. He was 77.

When he took over the reins as head football coach, Jamison quickly made some changes to the scheme that hadn’t been seen before.

“He was a tremendous football coach and very creative,” said former Guilford track coach Lee Marks, who served as the sophomore football coach during the early 1980s. “Some of the things we see now, he was doing back then. I remember a time when he decided that we should run the option out of the shotgun format. He liked having a multiple offense and it was effective.”

The new high-flying ways worked for a school that was known more for cross country, golf and tennis.

“The win in 1982 was phenomenal,” said Guilford offensive guard John Nielsen, 49. “It gave us more recognition because the previous state champions in the area were by East. It was a total team concept.”

Credell Magee, who was a junior running back on that team, said the win was one of the biggest moments in his life.

“It was something we had never experienced before and at that time we were known as the Cardiac Kids,” said Magee, 47. “We always found a way to win and that’s something that coach Jamison taught us. He never gave up on us, and because he never gave up on us, we couldn’t give up on him.”

Magee and Brasfield also had Jamison as a wrestling coach.

“He was a great role model for me,” Magee said. “He knew just the right buttons to push for you to reach your potential.”

Brasfield, who will speak at Saturday’s memorial service, recalled how Jamison persuaded him to go out for wrestling over basketball when he first came to Guilford.

“He convinced me that it would make me a better football player and I quickly fell in love with the sport,” he said. “He had a way of pushing me to get better and work harder.”

Brasfield went on to attend Augustana College, which was where Jamison was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame after starring as a three-sport athlete in the 1950s.

“I loved him as much as I love my dad,” Brasfield said.

In his later years, Jamison enjoyed golfing, traveling and spending time at the family cottage in Michigan.

“The loss is devasting, but we’re glad he doesn’t have to struggle with his health anymore,” Jamison’s daughter, Dana McCoy said. “We will miss him.”

Jamison is survived by his wife of 52 years, Nancy; daughters, Charlene (George) Nottoli, Janel Jamison and Dana (Thomas) McCoy; grandsons, Dante Nottoli and Charles and Jake McCoy and sisters, Linda (Henry) Donis and Martha Peterson and many nieces and nephews.

A noon visitation will be held before the memorial service at 1 p.m. Saturday at Honquest Family Funeral Home.